RE: Opel Manta GT/E | Spotted
Discussion
Lowtimer said:
Andy86GT said:
Had the Manta for 9 years and 90k. Sold it due to first born coming along and also because it was rusting really badly, sills and inner wings. Superficially looked ok still. Only mods were the irmsher quad headlights and a sports exhaust.
Despite the 110bhp it felt quick for the time. Remember the back stepping out a speed due to a mid turn bump (live axel), but some 'oppo had it collected up thankfully. I put it down to the decent handling rather than any skill from myself.
It was probably nostalgic memories of the Manta behind the reason for the GT86 acquisition, a lot of similarities, and in black too
Yeah, it was the rust that got mine in the end. I needed a stone-reliable car that I could carry on using in all weathers for 20k to 24K a year and as a self-employed person I couldn't afford to have something that would need constant attention at that stage and mileage, and I didn't have anywhere to keep it safely stored off road, or I would have stashed it away. Also my daughter was at the "lots of clobber required when going on holiday" age. So Despite the 110bhp it felt quick for the time. Remember the back stepping out a speed due to a mid turn bump (live axel), but some 'oppo had it collected up thankfully. I put it down to the decent handling rather than any skill from myself.
It was probably nostalgic memories of the Manta behind the reason for the GT86 acquisition, a lot of similarities, and in black too
My practical replacement at the time was nearly new Mondeo 24v, and my later spiritual replacement was a 1990 944 Turbo, similar vintage of design but a bit more sophisticated, and I still have that today.
So I bought a leggy Carlton CDX, but while it was a lovely cruiser it had some issues so it was replaced with a humdrum Rover 400.
Always liked the 944 Turbo with the wide arches, saw one a few years ago a Prescott, the alloy head had been polished to a mirror finish.
My brother bought a brand new Gold B reg Manta GTE Coupe , which followed a Gold X reg Ascona 2.0SR after 2 years or so he part ex'd it for a year oldish C reg Monza GSE in a really dark metallic brown.
He always said Opel's were better quality cars than Vauxhall saying that after the Monza he bought a nearly new F reg Astra 2.0 GTE while I had an F reg 16V GTE.
Amount of cars we've had if we had only the room due to what they go for 25/30 years later , but at the time you don't think like that.
Regarding this particular car as a lover of black cars don't think black is the best on a Manta.
He always said Opel's were better quality cars than Vauxhall saying that after the Monza he bought a nearly new F reg Astra 2.0 GTE while I had an F reg 16V GTE.
Amount of cars we've had if we had only the room due to what they go for 25/30 years later , but at the time you don't think like that.
Regarding this particular car as a lover of black cars don't think black is the best on a Manta.
Wren-went said:
My brother bought a brand new Gold B reg Manta GTE Coupe , which followed a Gold X reg Ascona 2.0SR after 2 years or so he part ex'd it for a year oldish C reg Monza GSE in a really dark metallic brown.
He always said Opel's were better quality cars than Vauxhall saying that after the Monza he bought a nearly new F reg Astra 2.0 GTE while I had an F reg 16V GTE.
Amount of cars we've had if we had only the room due to what they go for 25/30 years later , but at the time you don't think like that.
Regarding this particular car as a lover of black cars don't think black is the best on a Manta.
Mine was black, if I recall correctly; black, red and white were no cost options.He always said Opel's were better quality cars than Vauxhall saying that after the Monza he bought a nearly new F reg Astra 2.0 GTE while I had an F reg 16V GTE.
Amount of cars we've had if we had only the room due to what they go for 25/30 years later , but at the time you don't think like that.
Regarding this particular car as a lover of black cars don't think black is the best on a Manta.
You could also get a metallic (extra cost) sandy gold that, like the white, had the wheels the same colour.
Weirdly I remember seeing gold one quite often 'back in the day', however you just never see gold ones now, perhaps more prone to rust?
A teacher at school had one of these in black but it never really "did it" for me as a teanager
Problem was I was brought up on "Top Trumps" and the GTE just lost so badly on the engine front. I4 vs V6. 2.0l vs 2.8l
I have no idea how either drove but the Capri won on Top Trump and also it was on the tele with The Professionals - the combination meant the GTE was just a looser to me and my classmates !!
Problem was I was brought up on "Top Trumps" and the GTE just lost so badly on the engine front. I4 vs V6. 2.0l vs 2.8l
I have no idea how either drove but the Capri won on Top Trump and also it was on the tele with The Professionals - the combination meant the GTE was just a looser to me and my classmates !!
I had a white GTE Exclusive coupe, great car for its day. The hatch version is no where near as coherent a shape.
I was crew on a rally team with a Manta too, that had a red top 16V engine, went really well in the forests.
Compared to my later cars it would be very slow and underpowered, but once up to speed you could fly on a flowing country road. It was an understeer biased car at the limit with the heavy lump up front, which made it far less edgey than a capri.
I have some great memories of the Manta, took it to Le Mans one year.
I was crew on a rally team with a Manta too, that had a red top 16V engine, went really well in the forests.
Compared to my later cars it would be very slow and underpowered, but once up to speed you could fly on a flowing country road. It was an understeer biased car at the limit with the heavy lump up front, which made it far less edgey than a capri.
I have some great memories of the Manta, took it to Le Mans one year.
I remember working in a Vauxhall dealer in the 90s where we had the occasional one in for a service. There was a coupe exclusive that I really liked the look of, but when I drove it down the road it was a bit underwhelming and did this weird thing when you moved off from stationary and the rear end went upwards rather than squatting.. Anyway, I still really like the look of them, but I've also just bought an old 911 of similar vintage for not much more than this (although it's rough, not mint like the Manta)
Don't mention V6 Capris, but I had two 2.8is back in the 80s so can't help but compare them!
Coincidentally when I sold my first Capri to help fund a deposit on my first house in 1985 I replaced it with a Cavalier 2000GLS Sportshatch, so the same car as this but with Vauxhall badging and 10bhp less because it wasn't fuel injected. It was decently quick for the era and handled pretty well.
But as soon as I'd saved up again by 1988 I was in my 2nd 2.8i Capri because they were so much quicker and handled just as well, although lesser Capris possibly didn't.
If you really want one you'd probably struggle to find a better one so it's worth what someone will pay, but I wouldn't want it at £30K. And the Coupe definitely looks better!
Coincidentally when I sold my first Capri to help fund a deposit on my first house in 1985 I replaced it with a Cavalier 2000GLS Sportshatch, so the same car as this but with Vauxhall badging and 10bhp less because it wasn't fuel injected. It was decently quick for the era and handled pretty well.
But as soon as I'd saved up again by 1988 I was in my 2nd 2.8i Capri because they were so much quicker and handled just as well, although lesser Capris possibly didn't.
If you really want one you'd probably struggle to find a better one so it's worth what someone will pay, but I wouldn't want it at £30K. And the Coupe definitely looks better!
JJJ. said:
I wouldn't imagine they'd handle very well with one of those fitted, both the 12v & 24v were boat anchors.
As I understand it, the 2.0 CIH engine were not exactly lightweight and tuning was limited, so the 24v engine made a significant performance difference.I remember reading Retro a few years ago and they had a head to head of a tuned CIH, a red top and a 3.0 24v, I seem to recall the favourite being the big six.
I had an 86 GTE hatch in 1991, can’t get my head round 30 grand door one.
Big old boat anchor of an engine, not all that fast, outdated in 1986 when it was new, I got it after a Mk1 Golf GTi which was four years older but rang rings round it.
I would like a hatch with some decent brakes and some power, and this is nice but they weren’t much cop really as standard, I got a 2.0 Montego after it and that also ran rings round it, but isn’t worth much nowadays.
Think there are a bit overrated based on my experience of having one, I get the nostalgia, I had mine when I met my wife etc but 30 grand, phew.
Big old boat anchor of an engine, not all that fast, outdated in 1986 when it was new, I got it after a Mk1 Golf GTi which was four years older but rang rings round it.
I would like a hatch with some decent brakes and some power, and this is nice but they weren’t much cop really as standard, I got a 2.0 Montego after it and that also ran rings round it, but isn’t worth much nowadays.
Think there are a bit overrated based on my experience of having one, I get the nostalgia, I had mine when I met my wife etc but 30 grand, phew.
TheDoggingFather said:
JJJ. said:
I wouldn't imagine they'd handle very well with one of those fitted, both the 12v & 24v were boat anchors.
As I understand it, the 2.0 CIH engine were not exactly lightweight and tuning was limited, so the 24v engine made a significant performance difference.I remember reading Retro a few years ago and they had a head to head of a tuned CIH, a red top and a 3.0 24v, I seem to recall the favourite being the big six.
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